Headlines announce Kmart decides to stop using the term ‘plus’
and instead brand these items ‘fabulous sized’. Part of me rolls my eyes and
another part of me wonders if this is the disruption that the industry needs.
For years I hovered in the purgatory that exists between ‘regular’ size 14 and ‘plus’
size 16. I didn’t fit in either. There was a short period when I fit into the
no longer Additionelle size 12. It was great. I shopped at one store and everything
was always on sale because no one really fit that size. Before that it was flip-flopping
the aisles at Cotton Ginny where a plus size 12 fit better than a regular size
14 but cost between $5 and $8 more because they used more fabric – no word of a
lie this was their rationale for charging larger women more for their clothes. Instead
of being honest and admitting they had a captive market with almost no
alternative and they could get away with it.
Fortunately the industry keeps adjusting sizes and adding “00” – what used to
be size 2. So now I can, mostly, comfortably buy clothes, provided ‘that bitch’
doesn’t get there first and clear out the one size 12/14 that the store has. Although
admittedly I most buy knit wear anymore so I have a little give to work with.
I’m not a size warrior. I really don’t care what the label says I just want the
clothes to fit properly and be flattering. But what I have never understood is
that we know there is a market out there for larger sizes and yet retailers
continue to leave money on the table pretending this market doesn’t exist.
Or perhaps even worse, they shutter this group into online shopping, keeping
those larger bodies out of the shops to fit some sort of aesthetic that really shouldn’t
exist. And frankly, if you asked most people, nobody is that offended by. Yes I
know there are major fat shaming issues out there. I’ve seen it. I’ve heard it.
I’ve had it done to me. What I’m hoping to address in this post isn’t this
subject. It’s the completely and utter lack of interest in a market that makes
money.
Let’s back up for a minute. Buying your clothes off the rack is a relatively
new idea. Up until midway through the last century you picked your dresses from
a model or a drawing, you were measured and your garment made. If you couldn't
afford that you often made your own garments. For centuries prêt a porter was
limited to unfitted garments, night clothes and gloves. Simply; your clothes
were made to fit you. When ready to wear became prevalent the idea of sizing
came into play and suddenly you needed to fit your clothes. But ask any well
dressed person and the secret they’ll keep is tailoring. There is no such
thing as standard sizing and sizes are designed to make the most efficient use
of fabric, not to fit an actual body.
There’s always the fact that conspicuous consumption, the concept of disposable
clothing is also fairly new. And it’s an entirely different subject. Not so
long ago you had a few well made garments that were expected to last for years.
When your good dress wore out a bit you kept wearing it but it was downgraded
to day dress or house frock. There is a massive environmental issue surrounding
disposal of seldom worn garments and the lack of recycling of textiles but
again I’m trying to focus here.
I have a range of friends in a range of sizes. And we all struggle to find
pants that fit. Many of my self-proclaimed ‘fat’ friends have taught themselves
to sew. Something I also do. However even the pattern industry doesn’t go past
a size 24. There, it seems, is no winning.
Does Kmart have the right idea? I have no idea. Kmart isn’t a Canadian entity
anymore so my first hand experience won’t be happening any time soon. Does my
decision to try to shop in size inclusive establishments make a difference? I
hope so, but so many of those continue to only cater to the larger size market
via online, so I can’t shop with these friends. Does size designation really
making shopping easier or does it just isolate us by labeling us in a negative
way?
Am I really going to go out and ask if a shop carries ‘fabulous’ sizes? Or am I
just going to ask; why can’t we just say size and get on with it?
